Český Krumlov: Castle and the artist Egon Schiele

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One of the most genuinely absorbing things you can do in the world is visit a small, beautifully-preserved old Czech town. Today was a day of exploring Český Krumlov, which Masayo and I arrived in yesterday, strolling around both the hilltop castle and the museum celebrating the former artist resident Egon Schiele. Best of all, the sickness that sidelined me yesterday slowly disappeared as the day progressed, and while my blood sugars weren’t perfect they were actually better than I expected. I even had one reading between 70 and 130!

First thing in the morning in our tiny attic room at the lovely Hostel Merlin, I knew things were improving for me: I felt a little better, if profoundly groggy after about twenty hours of sleep, and my fever seemed to have abated. The sleep worked; my theory that resting cures illnesses was borne out. My blood sugar wasn’t super high like I expected, either; I was 181.

It was 10:00 am and we went searching for breakfast in town, finding only a small-ish place called Restaurace Petr Vok Cafe that sold coffee and cakes. A slice of honey cake for breakfast – sounded good to me.

Actually it was tough for me to eat; my stomach didn’t really seem to want anything. While I didn’t finish my cake, I did try. At least I got some food in me. The shot of Humalog, which I took at the table through my pants, was a painful one.

That’ll wake you up if you’re diabetic!

Afterwards I felt a tad better yet. We pressed on, walking through the chilly town in the shadow of its big quiet hills and under the overcast late-November sky. Český Krumlov is comprised entirely of old, haphazardly-shaped buildings in a variety of colors, scattered along erratic paths of cobblestone.

Staircases disappear up between buildings and lanterns, unused in the daytime, jut out from the eaves. Occasionally you find yourself in a small square, and at every turn there are friendly-looking shops with welcoming sandwich boards out front. The vibe is a little touristy, but acceptably so.

And you don’t really need a map in Český Krumlov; it’s compact enough that just by wandering a few minutes you’ll end up somewhere.

Český Krumlov Castle

Finally Masayo and I found the long staircase that leads up to the beautiful, compact-but-looming Český Krumlov Castle. The Castle (and the entire historic city center) was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1992 and has become a big draw for visitors. However, on this chilly Friday afternoon there weren’t that many people. In fact, the castle is closed for the season though you can still wander the gardens and go up the bell tower.

Besides the castle itself, the hike up to it is absolutely worth it for the views out over the town and the surrounding countryside. With its Central European spires and red roofs, and the frazzled mist hanging overhead today, the scenery from atop the hill makes it seem like you’re looking into the past, or at some artist’s recreation of what life must have been like in the 1200s when the castle was first built.

As we strolled around the gardens, which are still clearly maintained by some green-thumbed perfectionists despite the season, I decided to have a BG check. It wasn’t so much due to medical curiosity; I mainly wanted the diabetes selfie. Though still weakened I was delighted to find I was only 124. Guess it’s a good thing I didn’t eat more of that honey cake at breakfast after all.

We paid the admission to the castle’s museum and to its tower; the museum was extensive and came with an audio guide at no additional cost. However, still not feeling entirely fantastic I hurried through the audio tour. The displays were really well done and give a real sense of life in and around the castle in centuries past.

To reach the top of the tower you go up these super-cramped cold stone stairs, and there’s a little balcony on top that you can walk around to see 360º. Looking down at the town from here I noticed a building with a big “EGON SCHIELE” sign on it. A taste of things to come later in the afternoon.

A vegetarian meal

It was time for lunch, and I wasn’t sure what I could eat but I’d do my best. We found a vegetarian restaurant called Laibon on a side street. (We aren’t vegetarians but the food is always excellent.)

The guy who served us at Laibon was super-friendly and profoundly enthusiastic, and seemed to be a traveler himself. He asked us all about Japan, and the Japanese language, after he found out that we both live there. He hasn’t been, he said – yet.

My meal was couscous and soy-meat things plus raw vegetables, with mint tea. I took no insulin at first since I didn’t know how much I’d be able to stomach. It was really good though, fresh and with varied textures. I was proud of myself for nearly finishing it, and towards the end finally took my shot (again discreetly at the table).

I was feeling better and stronger with each meal, but was rather exhausted by now. I just wanted to pay and go. But the guy came, not with the bill, but with a special dessert, on the house: rice pudding with what tasted like maple syrup. It was a lovely gesture, and I tried to hide my queasiness at the thought of more food.

So I did, out of social obligation (and culinary curiosity), eat several spoonfuls. Rice and syrup – just what a diabetic who already shot up needs!

Egon Schiele Museum

Sated (and then some) Masayo and I thanked him and paid and re-entered the world of Český Krumlov’s quaint streets, ending up eventually at the Egon Schiele Museum.

I have long liked Egon Schiele’s twisted, tortured work; he’s one of the few artists I’ve actually bought a book of. I had no idea he had any connection with this town until the last couple of days; his mother was born here and he always liked the town. (He was born in Austria himself.)

Funny how in small-town Europe you keep unexpectedly running into familiar figures from history; this happened in the obscure town of Daugavpils, Latvia a few weeks ago when Masayo and I happened upon a museum dedicated to artist Mark Rothko.

The museum here is pretty small but offers a great look into Egon Schiele’s time in Český Krumlov, including paintings he did of the town from the castle gardens up on the hill, the gardens we were exploring a couple hours ago. Masayo bought a postcard of one of these impressionistic, colorful scenes. Signs dissuaded visitors from taking photos and I heeded them.

Until I noticed other visitors snapping away with abandon, that is. I snuck out my Olympus and got a couple discreet ones myself towards the end.

Satisfied with the museum and the town so far, and noticing that in mid-afternoon it was already getting dark, we went back to the room to relax. I had made it quite a way around town for someone who could do nothing but sip corn soup yesterday. Sleep fixes everything!

The last night in the Czech Republic

Except diabetes; at 4:00 pm I was 224. Not too unhappily, though; I could explain that away with the rice pudding I hadn’t taken insulin for. Any reading besides 224 would have been weird, really.

Later for dinner we found a rather small restaurant next to the winding, whispering Vltava River called Restaurace Parkán. We both ordered penne pasta with cheese and tomatoes and I even felt good enough for a beer.

Pilsner fans will hate me for admitting this, but the reason I ordered it at dinner tonight was that it dawned on me that this would be our last night in the Czech Republic and I hadn’t yet had a single draft beer here. Illness and diabetes aside, this would be my last chance.

Anyway pasta and the beer were both excellent, and I very nearly finished all of mine. I often underestimate the carbs in pasta and that was true tonight: after dinner I was 319. Of course.

But I didn’t really mind this time: my sickness was going fast and Masayo and I had seen everything we wanted to see in this amazing, hidden little town in the south part of the Czech Republic.

Tomorrow we’re off to yet another country, one that used to be part of this one: Slovakia. I just hope I’m still feeling better tomorrow morning. And I hope we can actually tear ourselves away from Český Krumlov once and for all!

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